The Series With Georgetown
This will be the 24th meeting between the Crusaders and the Hoyas on the gridiron, with Holy Cross leading the all-time series 15-8. The Crusaders had won 10 consecutive games against Georgetown, before the Hoyas posted a 17-7 victory in Washington last season. For games played in Worcester, Holy Cross owns an 8-4 advantage in the series, including five straight wins and six victories in the last seven meetings. The last win for the Hoyas at Fitton Field came on Sept. 11, 1999 (34-16). Since Georgetown became a member of the Patriot League in 2002, the Hoyas have a 1-8 mark against the Crusaders.

Holy Cross On Family Weekend
The Crusaders have posted an all-time record of 29-24-1 in Family Weekend games. Holy Cross did not play a game on Family Weekend in 2010, but previously won its last two Family Weekend games (35-21 over Lehigh in 2008, and 42-28 over Colgate in 2009). Prior to that, the Crusaders had lost six straight times on Family Weekend. This year's game will be the first-ever meeting between Holy Cross and Georgetown on Family Weekend.

Anderson Award On The Line
The Dr. Edward N. Anderson Award is presented annually to the outstanding player in the Family Weekend game, as determined by the working press. The award is sponsored by the Holy Cross Club of Greater Worcester, and was originally awarded to the most outstanding player of the Holy Cross-Massachusetts game. It is presented in honor of former Holy Cross head coach Edward Anderson, who had a 129-67-8 record in 21 seasons as the Crusaders' coach (1933-1938; 1950-1964), and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1971. Last season, Lehigh's Chris Lum took home the trophy, after leading the Mountain Hawks to a 34-17 victory over the Crusaders. In the history of the Anderson Award, six players have won it multiple times: UMass' Mike Fallon (1976 and 1977), UMass' Dean Pecevich (1980 and 1981), Holy Cross' Peter Muldoon (1982, 1983 and 1984), Holy Cross' Jeff Wiley (1986 and 1987), Holy Cross' Joe Segreti (1988 and 1989) and Holy Cross' Dominic Randolph (2008 and 2009).

Taggart Shines At Quarterback
Senior quarterback Ryan Taggart (Bedford, Texas) is in his second year as the starter for the Crusaders in 2011. In seven games played so far this year, he has connected on 186 of 294 passes for 2,074 yards and 11 touchdowns with five interceptions, in addition to ranking second on the team in rushing with 315 yards and five scores on 80 attempts. Last week at Bucknell, Taggart completed 32 of 58 attempts for 380 yards and a pair of touchdowns. In the previous game against Dartmouth, he rushed 23 times for a career-high 176 yards, and completed 29 of 41 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns. Taggart set a new school single-game record for the most rushing yards by a quarterback against the Big Green, breaking the mark set by Jack Lentz against Richmond in 1964 with 173 yards. Earlier in the season at New Hampshire, he completed 40 of 57 passes for a career-high 412 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to rushing for 55 yards and two scores on 12 carries. With that performance, Taggart placed third on the Holy Cross single-game lists for both completions (40) and yards of total offense (467), while ranking ninth for passing yards (412). Some of his other top performances this season have been against Harvard (hitting on 22 of 35 passes for 320 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for 34 yards and a score on nine attempts), Colgate (completing 13 of 16 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to rushing for a score), Brown (connecting on 27 of 43 attempts for 243 yards and a score) and Massachusetts (hitting on 23 of 44 attempts for 246 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for 15 yards and a score on nine carries). Last year, Taggart connected on 185 of 317 passes for 1,899 yards and 14 touchdowns, in addition to ranking second on the team in rushing with 284 yards and five scores on 85 carries. During his career with the Crusaders, he has now completed 373 of 613 passes for 3,976 yards and 25 touchdowns, in addition to rushing for 606 yards and 10 scores on 168 carries.

Holy Cross In Hunt For League Title
The Crusaders enter this week's contest in first place in the Patriot League with a 2-0 mark in conference games this year. Holy Cross is currently a half a game ahead of both Lehigh (1-0) and Georgetown (2-1) in the Patriot League standings. If the Crusaders can win their next three games (against Georgetown, Lehigh and Lafayette), they will win the conference title and earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Playoffs. Depending on the results of other games, Holy Cross could also win the Patriot League crown with a 2-1 mark over the next three weeks.

Defense Has Huge Day At Bucknell
The Crusader defense turned in one of its top performances in recent years during last week's victory at Bucknell. Holy Cross limited the Bison to just 146 yards of total offense, 13 points and eight first downs on the day. At one point during the second half, the Crusaders held Bucknell to three-downs-and-out on six consecutive possessions. The 146 total yards were the fewest Holy Cross had allowed since giving up only 65 yards to Georgetown on Sept. 2, 2007, while the eight first downs were the least by a Crusader opponent since Georgetown had only seven first downs on Sept. 5, 2009. In addition, Holy Cross totaled six quarterback sacks during the contest against Bucknell, their most in a single game since posting six sacks against Fordham on Sept. 30, 2006.

Crusaders In The Patriot League
Now in its 26th season of play in the Patriot League, Holy Cross owns an all-time record of 79-61 (.564) in conference action. The Crusaders won their last conference championship in 2009, clinching the title with a 28-26 victory over Lafayette to earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs. Holy Cross' six Patriot League championships (all of them outright) have come in 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991 and 2009. The Crusaders are tied for the second-most championships in conference history, behind only Lehigh with nine titles. In 2009, Holy Cross won five Patriot League games for just the fourth time in school history. The Crusaders previously went 5-1 in 2008, while posting 5-0 conference records in 1990 and 1991.

The Last Meeting With Georgetown
Scott Darby completed 26 of 44 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown, to lead Georgetown to a 17-7 victory over Holy Cross at the Multi-Sport Field on Sept. 25, 2010. After a scoreless first half, Georgetown had the ball to open the third quarter and drove to the Holy Cross 24-yard line. But C.J. Martin then forced a fumble by Darby, which was recovered by Mude Ohimor and returned to the Georgetown 41-yard line. Five plays later, Ryan Taggart threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Gerald Mistretta to make the score 7-0. The Hoyas put their first points on the board on their next possession, with a 31-yard field goal by Brett Weiss. Georgetown next claimed a 10-7 lead on a seven-yard touchdown run by Philip Oladeji with 8:23 left in the fourth quarter. The Hoyas then concluded the scoring with an eight-yard touchdown pass from Darby to John O'Leary with 2:46 remaining. Taggart completed 22 of 34 passes on the day for 163 yards with one touchdown and one interception, while Luke Chmielinski had a team-best six receptions for 36 yards. Ricky Otis led the defense with 16 total tackles and a pass breakup.

Trio Of Seniors Lead Linebackers
Senior linebacker C.J. Martin (Plano, Texas), senior linebacker Ricky Otis (Cleves, Ohio) and senior linebacker Jimmy Thomas (Severn, Md.) are once again key parts of the Holy Cross defense in 2011. Otis currently leads the team with 57 tackles so far this season, including one sack and five tackles for loss. He totaled nine solo tackles with one tackle for loss at Brown, after previously recording 10 tackles with two tackles for loss against Massachusetts, nine tackles and a sack at New Hampshire and nine tackles against Colgate. Last season, Otis led the team with 108 total tackles and earned first team All-Patriot League honors, despite missing two games due to injury. He reached double-figures in tackles six times in 2010, including a career-high 17 tackles at Lafayette. Over the course of his Holy Cross career, Otis now has 192 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and four pass breakups. Martin ranks fifth on the team with 36 tackles in six games this season, including three sacks. He totaled nine tackles and one sack at New Hampshire, in addition to making eight tackles at Brown and posting four tackles with two sacks at Bucknell. Martin ranked second on the team with 95 total tackles last year, including 61 solo stops and two tackles for loss. He recorded double-digit tackles four times in 2010, with a high of 18 tackles at Massachusetts. Over the course of his collegiate career, Martin has now recorded 164 tackles, five tackles for loss, two interceptions and three pass breakups. Thomas has totaled 37 tackles, four tackles for loss, an interception and a pass breakup in six games played this year. He had 10 tackles, one tackle for loss and a 60-yard interception return for a touchdown against Colgate, while finishing with 10 tackles, two tackles for loss and a pass breakup at Brown. Thomas previously recorded 35 tackles with five tackles for loss in 2010, after totaling 67 tackles, nine tackles for loss and four sacks in 2009. Over the course of his Holy Cross career, Thomas now has 141 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and five sacks.

Taggart Climbs The Career Charts
Even though he is only in his second season as Holy Cross' starting quarterback, senior Ryan Taggart has already placed his name among the school's all-time leaders in a number of statistical categories. Entering this week, he ranks third in career completion percentage (.608), fourth in career pass efficiency rating (124.9), sixth in career completions (373), seventh in career passing touchdowns (25) and career yards of total offense (4,582), eighth in career passing yards (3,976) and ninth in career pass attempts (613).

Crusaders Look To Post Another Winning Season
In 2011, Holy Cross is attempting to finish with a winning record for the seventh year in a row. The Crusaders concluded the 2010 season with an overall mark of 6-5, after going 9-3 in 2009 (marking only the ninth time in the school history the team has won at least nine games). Holy Cross previously went 7-4 in 2006, 2007 and 2008, and its 36-20 mark over the last five seasons is its best in a five-year span since going 39-15-1 from 1989-1993. Holy Cross also posted a winning record in 2005 (6-5), and has an overall mark of 42-25 since the beginning of the 2005 campaign. This marks the first time the Crusaders have posted six straight winning seasons since finishing with a winning mark in seven straight years from 1986-1992.

Fenner & Mannix Stand Out In Secondary
Senior cornerback Chandler Fenner (Virginia Beach, Va.) and junior strong safety Tom Mannix (Kenilworth, N.J.) are both enjoying strong seasons in the Holy Cross secondary. In seven games played so far this year, Fenner has recorded 51 tackles, an interception, two forced fumbles and a team-high 11 pass breakups. During the Bucknell game, he recorded eight total tackles, a sack and a pass breakup. Previously at Brown, Fenner tied for the team lead with 10 total tackles, and tied his career high with three pass breakups. Some of his other top games this season have been against New Hampshire (12 tackles and a forced fumble to set up the game-tying touchdown in the fourth quarter), Harvard (seven tackles, one interception, two pass breakups), Dartmouth (six tackles, one forced fumble) and Massachusetts (four tackles, three pass breakups). Last season, Fenner earned first team All-Patriot League honors after finishing with 58 tackles, one quarterback sack, two tackles for loss, four pass breakups, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a blocked punt. Over the course of his Holy Cross career, Fenner has now totaled 141 tackles, one interception, four forced fumbles and 15 pass breakups in 40 games played. Mannix ranks second on the team with 54 total tackles so far this year, to go along with two forced fumbles, an interception, a fumble recovery and six pass breakups. During the victory over Dartmouth, he led the team with eight total tackles and recorded his first interception of the season. Earlier in the season, Mannix had a career-high 11 tackles, a forced fumble and a pass breakup against Massachusetts, while totaling 10 tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup at New Hampshire. During his career with the Crusaders, he has now totaled 105 tackles, two interceptions, three forced fumbles and 12 pass breakups.

Balanced Group Of Wide Outs Excel For Holy Cross
The Crusaders have a number of outstanding weapons in the passing game this season. Junior wide out Gerald Mistretta (Brooklyn, N.Y.) had six catches for a career-best 136 yards and a touchdown at New Hampshire, then posted a career-high 12 receptions for 103 yards and a score against Dartmouth. Overall in 2011, Mistretta has caught 41 passes for 501 yards and five touchdowns, to lead the team in all three categories. Sophomore wide receiver Mike Fess (Caldwell, N.J.) set career-highs by catching 11 passes for 95 yards and a score at New Hampshire. On the year, Fess ranks second on the team with 35 receptions for 337 yards and two scores. Sophomore wide out Kyle Toulouse (Arlington, Va.) posted a career-high 13 receptions for a career-best 110 yards at New Hampshire, tying for second place on the school single-game list for most catches. Overall this season, Toulouse stands third on the squad with 27 catches for 291 yards and one touchdown. Sophomore wide receiver Nate Stanley (Euclid, Ohio) had career-highs of nine catches and 109 yards at Bucknell, while sophomore wide out Jon Smith (Matawan, N.J.) added a career-high four catches for 43 yards against UMass and three receptions for a career-high 51 yards at Bucknell. Stanley has totaled 17 receptions for 197 yards on the year, while Smith has 16 catches for 185 yards.

Holy Cross In The NCAA Statistics
Seven Crusaders are ranked among the NCAA leaders in various statistical categories, through games of Oct. 22. As a team, Holy Cross ranks second in the nation in punt return coverage, while standing sixth in fewest penalties and eighth in fewest turnovers. The rankings:

Football Legends Ring Of Honor Inducts Second Class
The athletic department at the College of the Holy Cross recognized four former football standouts on Sept. 1, as the second class of the Crusader Football Legends Ring of Honor. George Connor (1942-1943), Bruce Kozerski (1980-1983), Jon Morris (1961-1963) and Joe Wilson (1970-1972) were honored in a ceremony prior to the UMass game, and received permanent recognition at Fitton Field. Only former Crusader football players who have been elected to the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame are eligible for this honor, which is an annual event each fall. In 2010, the inaugural class in the Crusader Football Legends Ring of Fame included, Gill Fenerty (Class of 1986), Gordie Lockbaum (Class of 1988), Edmund Murphy (Class of 1943), Bill Osmanski (Class of 1939), Vince Promuto (Class of 1960) and John Provost (Class of 1975).

Schneider & Hauser Shine At Tight End
Senior tight end Alex Schneider (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) and junior tight end Josh Hauser (Dallas, Texas) have both been key parts of the Holy Cross passing game in 2011. In seven games played so far this year, Schneider has caught six passes for 67 yards and a touchdown. In 11 games last season, he ranked fourth on the team with 30 receptions for 217 yards and a score. During the 2010 victory over Fordham, Schneider totaled four catches for 31 yards and a touchdown. An All-Patriot League selection in each of the last two years, Schneider finished the 2009 campaign ranked fourth on the team with 33 receptions for 275 yards, while his six touchdown catches were the second-most on the squad. He ranked second among Patriot League tight ends in both receptions and receiving yards in 2009, and finished the 2009 season with a streak of 10 straight games with at least one catch. Over the course of his Holy Cross career, Schneider has now totaled 69 catches for 559 yards and eight touchdowns. Hauser has made 10 receptions for 169 yards and a touchdown in seven games played this year. He had a career-best three catches for 22 yards against Massachusetts in the season opener, and also caught a 68-yard touchdown pass in the win over Harvard. Over the course of his collegiate career, Hauser has totaled 15 receptions for 212 yards and a touchdown.

Crusaders Among League Leaders
Several Holy Cross players rank at or near the top of the Patriot League standings in a number of statistical categories, through games of Oct. 22. Senior quarterback Ryan Taggart leads the way by ranking second in the league in passing yards (296.3 yards/game) and total offense (341.3 yards/game), while standing third in pass efficiency (131.5 rating). Sophomore placekicker John Macomber (Vienna, Va.) currently leads the conference in field goals (1.8 made/game) and ranks second in scoring (7.5 points/game), while junior wide receiver Gerald Mistretta stands third in both receptions (5.9 catches/game) and receiving yards (71.6 yards/game). In addition, sophomore cornerback Andrew Zitnik (Warren, Ohio) ranks third in kickoff returns (22.2 yards/return), sophomore wide receiver Mike Fess is fourth in receptions (5.0 catches/game) and senior punter Corey Page (Tampa, Fla.) ranks fourth in punting (37.7 yards/punt). As a team, Holy Cross leads the league in total defense (322.7 yards/game) and passing defense (180.7 yards/game); while standing second in scoring defense (20.3 points/game), total offense (419.7 yards/game), passing offense (296.3 yards/game) and net punting (35.7 yards/punt); and ranking third in rushing offense (123.4 yards/game), pass efficiency (131.0 rating) and pass efficiency defense (119.0 rating).

Defending The Home Turf
Holy Cross has enjoyed great success at Fitton Field over the years, and has a 3-1 mark at home so far in 2011. The Crusaders, who played their first game at Fitton Field in 1903, have posted an all-time home mark of 366-168-27 (.676). From Oct. 11, 2008-Oct. 9, 2010, Holy Cross had a streak of 13 straight victories at home. The Crusaders had a perfect 6-0 mark at Fitton Field in 2009, and finished the 2010 campaign with a winning record at home for the fifth straight season. Fitton Field is the second-oldest stadium still used for Division I college football, behind only Franklin Field at the University of Pennsylvania (opened in 1895).

Defense Steps Up In The Red Zone
The Holy Cross defense has turned in some of its top performances of the 2011 season once the opposing team reaches the red zone. Overall this year, Crusader opponents have moved the ball inside the 20-yard line 28 times, and have scored only 13 touchdowns. Holy Cross has forced the opposition to attempt 10 field goals (seven of which were made), caused two turnovers (one interception and one fumble) and stopped the other team on fourth down three times. The Crusaders overall percentage of allowing the opposition to score just 71.4 percent of the time once reaching the red zone currently ranks 19th in the nation.

Head Coach Tom Gilmore
A two-time Patriot League Coach of the Year (in 2006 and 2009), Tom Gilmore is in his eighth season as the head football coach at Holy Cross in 2011. In 2009, Gilmore led the Crusaders to an overall record of 9-3, the Patriot League championship and a trip to the NCAA playoffs. Also a finalist for the 2009 Eddie Robinson Award, he currently owns an overall record of 49-36 during his time at Holy Cross, including a 46-28 mark since the beginning of the 2005 campaign. Gilmore has led the Crusaders to winning records in six straight seasons, including 7-4 marks in 2006, 2007 and 2008, along with winning streaks of six games (in 2008) and five games (in 2006 and 2009). Two of Gilmore's players, Dominic Randolph (2007, 2008 and 2009) and Steve Silva (2005), have been named the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, with Silva also earning first team All-America honors. Gilmore has also led the Crusaders to four victories over ranked opponents, three of which came in 2009. Prior to his time at Holy Cross, Gilmore served as an assistant coach at Lehigh (2000-2003), Dartmouth (1992-1999), Pennsylvania (1986, 1990-1991) and Columbia (1987-1989). An Academic All-American at Pennsylvania, Gilmore graduated in 1986 with a bachelor's degree in computer mathematics. He was the Ivy League Player of the Year as a senior and helped lead the Quakers to four consecutive Ivy League titles.

Scouting The Hoyas
Georgetown enters this week's game with an overall record of 6-2 and a 2-1 mark in the Patriot League. The Hoyas have won their last three games, and are coming off a 40-17 victory over Colgate. Junior quarterback Isaiah Kempf has completed 113 of 194 passes for 1,107 yards and nine touchdowns with four interceptions, in addition to rushing for 205 yards and three scores on 71 carries. Sophomore tailback Nick Campanella has rushed for a team-high 364 yards and seven touchdowns on 95 attempts, while junior wide out Max Waizenegger has caught 29 passes for 328 yards and five scores. Defensively, junior linebacker Robert McCabe leads Georgetown with 95 total tackles, three tackles for loss and three interceptions. Head coach Kevin Kelly is in his sixth season at the helm of the Hoyas' program, posting an overall record of 15-47. Prior to his time at Georgetown, Kelly spent four years as the linebackers and special teams coach at Navy.

Tradition Of Excellence
The 2011 campaign marks the 116th season of Holy Cross football. The Crusaders currently own an overall record of 603-475-54, good for a .557 winning percentage. Prior to the start of the 2011 season, Holy Cross' 599 all-time victories ranked as the 16th most among all Division I-AA schools. Holy Cross has had 31 first team All-America selections, sent 69 players on to professional football, won five Lambert Cups, claimed six Patriot League championships, and was named the Division I-AA Team of the Year in 1987. The Crusaders also played in the 1946 Orange Bowl, losing to host Miami on the game's final play.

The Captains
Holy Cross has three captains during the 2011 football season. Senior offensive tackle Mike McCabe, senior linebacker Ricky Otis and senior quarterback Mark Tolzien (Rolling Meadows, Ill.) were named the team's captains by head coach Tom Gilmore following the conclusion of spring practice. These three players have taken over the leadership role from Anthony DiMichele, Sean Lamkin and Freddie Santana, who served as the Crusaders' captains during the 2010 season.

Crusaders On The Radio
All of Holy Cross' games in 2011 will air on WTAG 580 AM and 94.9 FM in Worcester. Holy Cross Hall of Famer Bob Fouracre is in his 42nd season calling the play-by-play for Holy Cross football, and his 26th year covering the Crusaders on the radio. Former Holy Cross standouts Tom Kelleher and Gordie Lockbaum will serve as color commentators for selected games this season. All of the Crusaders' games will also be available free of charge over the internet by clicking here. In addition, WCHC 88.1 FM, the Holy Cross student station, will carry a number of games this year.

Holy Cross On Television
The Crusaders are scheduled to have five games shown on live television during the 2011 season. Here is a look at Holy Cross' television schedule for the 2011 campaign:

The Holy Cross Football Show
Every Tuesday during the season, head coach Tom Gilmore will be joined by Bob Fouracre for the Holy Cross Football Show. The show airs live from 1:00-1:30 p.m. exclusively on the internet, with archives of all the shows available to those who can not listen in live. The show is carried free of charge, and can be heard by clicking here.

Crusader Vision
Live video streaming of several 2011 Holy Cross regular season home football games will be available over the internet through Crusader Vision. The package, done in association with Stretch Internet, is available for $8.95 per game. For details on how to view games through Crusader Vision, click here.

Quick Hits
During this week's game against Georgetown, the Crusaders will wear pink shoelaces as part of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month ... Sophomore placekicker John Macomber has connected on 11 out of 12 field goal attempts so far this season. He is on pace to break the school single-season record of 12 field goals made (which has been done five times) and the single-season mark for field goal percentage (currently held by Chris Vella, who made 12 of 14 attempts in 2002) ... Senior offensive tackle Mike McCabe (Watertown, Conn.) has been selected as a semifinalist for the 2011 William V. Campbell Trophy, presented by the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame to the top scholar-athlete in the nation ... Senior quarterback Ryan Taggart had a school-record streak of 209 consecutive passes thrown without an interception from Oct. 23, 2010-Oct. 1, 2011 ... Sophomore tailback Reggie Woods (Bowie, Md.) leads the team in rushing with 323 yards on 85 carries through seven games played ... Sophomore linebacker Mike Tucker (Chester Springs, Pa.) recorded four total tackles and three quarterback sacks during the victory over Bucknell. He now leads the team with eight sacks on the season, while totaling 19 tackles ... In the victory over Colgate on Sept. 10, the Holy Cross offense averaged 7.8 yards per play, and did not punt once the entire game ... During the season-opening game against Massachusetts on Sept. 1, a total of 15,942 fans showed up at Fitton Field. That marked the largest home attendance for the Crusaders since Oct. 20, 1990, when a crowd of 17,848 was on hand to watch Holy Cross defeat Lehigh 34-22 ... Holy Cross was picked third in the 2011 Patriot League preseason poll of the conference's head coaches and sports information directors, behind Lehigh and Colgate ... In three of the last four years, the Holy Cross football team has received an NCAA Division I Academic Progress Rate Public Recognition Award, for posting multi-year APR scores in the top 10 percent of all football squads in the nation.

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